With a good nutritional profile and improved processing, dairy is poised to meet Asia's modern day hectic lifestyles. Dated: 1 June 2008 BY FRANK POULSEN, REGIONAL PRODUCT DIRECTOR & MICHELLE GOH, MARKETING SUPPORT ASIA-PACIFIC APV
Milk consumption has been changing steadily from regular whole milk to functional milks fortified with minerals and vitamins due to their perceived health benefits. This trend can be seen in the Asia-Pacific as consumers switch to soy beverages and other dairy replacements partly due to the emerging trend of health-conscious behavior and higher milk prices since 2007.
Changes in consumer tastes and preferences will provide dairy processors with new opportunities in low-fat variants, scope for development of new products, and packaging innovation in the next few years. Asia, which is experiencing steady economic growth and population growth, is driving the demand for dairy products and providing dairy processors with opportunities to capitalize on the growing market.
Another factor propelling the trend for new foods is that populations in developed Asia (e.g., Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore) are working longer hours compared to their European counterparts. Such a lifestyle change due to modern day demands mean that less time can be spent preparing home-cooked food, with the focus shifting on ready-to-eat items, as well as tonics and health products that address age and beauty issues. Furthermore, scientific understanding of how food and beverages can be beneficial to our digestive system and contribute to overall health has progressed over the years. These discoveries have led to the development of ‘healthier-to-drink’ beverages.
Today’s manufacturers are concerned with flexibility in coming up with different recipes, while striving continuously to improve their processes by reducing valuable ingredient losses and maintaining top product quality. Homogenizers can meet this increasing complexity of recipes and improve processing capacities. Products in this category involve mixing and homogenization to meet demands for value-add and functional foods.
These trends are already showing up in ready-to-drink (RTD) beauty and health drinks, depending on the culture of the region and health issues. For instance, Indonesia is concerned about encouraging infants to drink milk. A sweetened condensed milk with different flavors has becomes a hit among the young. As the convenience food category becomes one of the Asia-Pacific’s most dynamic markets, consumers are increasingly looking for convenience foods that do not compromise on quality and taste to fit with their increasingly busy and mobile lifestyles.
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